Chapter 277 Stepping In


    Peggy stared at Maria in disbelief. Even if they worked together, they were obviously no match for


    James. Maria thought much too highly of her indeed.


    James turned and took a proper look at Peggy for the first time since they had stormed into the


    office. It took him less than a couple of seconds before he asked her point nk, "Do you want to


    witness some R-rated scenes?"


    R-rated? Peggy''s eyes widened, the question jolting her back to her senses.


    Then she shook her head vigorously, herrge hoop earrings swaying back and forth with the


    movement. She yelled a hasty goodbye to Maria and hightailed it out of the office.


    When they were finally alone, James loosened his hold.


    Maria didn''t get to her feet right away, though, and instead took the time to re at him and sneer. "I


    didn''t even seduce you; I didn''t expect such an immediate reaction from you after merely holding


    me against your body.''1


    James'' eyes darkened. "Aren''t you seducing me right now?" he asked, his voice hoarse.


    She stood up then, rather abruptly, and straightened her clothes. She ignored his remark and turned


    the tables against him. "We haven''t seen each other for a long time. And yet, Mr. Xi, you are still so


    weak in front of seduction.”


    "So you admit it?"


    "Of course not. James Xi, don''t forget that you set me up first. As for the seduction, you started to


    hit on me


    first.''1Têxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    His eyes narrowed at her. "You. Get out of here as well!"


    "You can tell me to leave all you want. But since I''m here now, I refuse to go empty-handed. Give


    me back Mr. Li''s project!"


    "Give it back to you? Why, have you already signed a contract with him?"


    She stuttered into silence. She hadn''t signed any contract yet, but this joint venture with Mr. Li was


    ted to seed. If only HL Group hadn''t stepped in the way, of course.


    In any case, Maria was furious now. "Are you going to interfere with all other projects of DS Group


    in the future?"


    "That would depend on my mood."


    This man was really asking her to murder him. ''What a fucking asshole!'' she cursed him inwardly.


    "DS Group is a very insignificantpanypared to HL Group; killing it would be a mere trifle to


    a man such as yourself. So tell me, James Xi, what do I have to do to stop you from targeting my


    company?"


    A hint of emotion shed in his eyes, but it was gone in the next second, before Maria could even


    put a name to it. James took a deep breath and answered casually, "Be my woman.”


    His woman? His engagement to Alina immediately loomed over Maria''s head. She shot him a


    mocking look. "Your mistress, you mean?"


    He was silent for a moment. He had meant to ask her to be his woman in the truest sense of the


    phrase, but she seemed to have taken it the wrong way. He did not bother correcting her, though.


    "Temporarily." "Be your mistress? Why would you make such a shameless proposition?" She wasn''t


    sure whether to cry or tough. Where was he getting the gall to tell her to be his side-woman?


    "I didn''t say mistress. You said it yourself."


    "I don''t care for your offer," Maria sneered. "If the worsees to the worst, I''ll just have to give up


    mypany."


    She stressed each syble, then she turned around and left before waiting for his response.


    James was left alone in silence.


    Peggy was waiting outside, chatting with Summer to bide the time, when Maria strode out of the


    office, obviously fuming.


    One look at Maria and Peggy knew it would do her good to run. And so, she bid a hasty goodbye to


    Summer and jogged to the elevator.


    "Peggy," Maria called out from behind. "You''re not leaving without me, are you?"


    It was toote to escape. Peggy turned around with a wide smile. "Ms. Song! Here, I was trying to


    hold the elevator for you.1''


    Maria drew closer, her high heels cking loudly against the floor. They entered the elevator


    together, and as soon as the doors closed, she grabbed Peggy by the neck. "You''ve been enjoying


    your petty little revenge on me, aren''t you?"


    Peggy coughed and gasped for air. "Maria! Please calm down."


    Maria didn''t let go of her until Peggy''s face started to turn purple, just in time for the elevator doors


    to open to the lobby.


    Peggy clung to her arm and tried to cate her. "I just thought that since he is your ex-husband


    anyway, it shouldn''t have been a big deal. Besides, he''s such a handsome man, so I didn''t think you


    would suffer any losses." "Well, you''re wrong," Maria corrected her dryly.


    "So you''re just going to stand by and watch thepany slowly fall into ruin? We''ll be bankrupt


    sooner orter, Maria."


    "You know, I used to think the same way as you, that all my problems would be solved by a night


    with James. But I was the one who asked for a clean break from him. I asked for a year, and that


    was just a few months ago. There''s still some time left until the time period ends. I can''t yield just


    yet." James had probably started to aggressivelye for herpany in order to force her to give


    in to him before the year was out. Unfortunately for him, Maria refused to lower her head this time


    around. More importantly, she also relished the opportunity to piss him off at every turn.


    "But why not? That''s James Xi we''re talking about. This is no time for you to prioritize your dignity."


    Peggy had learned a few days ago that Maria had turned out to be a very proud person in the time


    they hadn''t seen each other.


    There was nothing wrong with being proud, but Peggy didn''t think it would be necessary when it


    came to James. What she didn''t know, however, was that it was exactly when Maria was in front of


    James Xi that her pride rose to its pinnacle.


    "Didn''t you say you wanted to sleep with him? Go ahead, be my guest," Maria said casually.


    Peggy let go of the other woman''s arm like it was made of hot coal. "Don''t misunderstand me," she


    said with all the sincerity she could muster. "You know how I am, I was just kidding. If James wasn''t


    your man, I might have already had sex with him. But I know very well that he is off-limits, so please


    don''t overthink."


    She might be a murderer, but she was a murderer with principles.


    Never mind the question of James returning the attraction, how could she even bear to seduce a


    man who belonged to her best friend and benefactor?


    Her reaction amused Maria. "I know. If I hadn''t coaxed James while we were together, I would have


    fought with him every day. If you actually hooked up with him, tomorrow''s headlines would probably


    be about the richest man in H City being found dead on the street."


    Peggy breathed a sigh of relief. Judging from this light banter, Maria didn''t seem to take her earlier


    comments to heart. "That would probably be true. I don''t even know the man, but I can tell right off


    the bat that he''s cold and domineering. He must have a bad temper, doesn''t he? People who get


    fawned over all their lives usually do."


    Maria nodded in agreement. "You are absolutely right about that."


    They walked amicably to the car and drove to thepany with the weight of a failed mission on


    their backs.


    As it was, Maria couldn''t help ranting about everything to Peggy. "That bastard actually asked me to


    be his mistress! What, did he somehow delude himself that I''m the type of person who wouldn''t be


    able to live without him?"


    Well, he probably had, since she had alwayse to him for help whenever something happened


    to her. She had seldom turned to Norman or any other man, so her actions had no doubt fueled


    James'' illusion.


    "Why a mistress, though? Why not his wife or girlfriend?"


    His girlfriend? It urred to Maria then that there was something that Peggy might not have known.


    "He has a fiancee."


    Peggy choked on her saliva and began to cough violently. "So you mean he is seeing two women at


    the


    same time?"


    "Basically, yes. But I did initiate our intimacy when I first returned, because his fiancee is my cousin


    who poisoned me and made me mute in the past."


    "That bitch!" Peggy knew about Alina; Maria had told her the story when they were in jail. "Maria, I


    suggest you agree to be his woman. You should take this opportunity, even if it''s just to be his


    mistress."


    Maria frowned with displeased confusion. Why was Peggy backtracking on her own words so fast?


    "Haven’t you always wanted to take revenge on your cousin, that scheming bitch? This is the


    perfect chance! Get his man and make him yours day and night. That''s sure to piss her off. You''re


    single, anyway, so you should have sex with James as much as you can. You''d better gain back the


    position of Mrs. Xi no matter what it takes!"


    —